


The Lost and the Found

by Letty_Whiterock



Category: Original Work
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-24
Updated: 2021-01-24
Packaged: 2021-03-16 05:27:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,497
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28951146
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Letty_Whiterock/pseuds/Letty_Whiterock
Summary: First part of a fantasy series about some adventurer's for hire dealing with whatever comes their way. For coin, for ale, and because why not.
Kudos: 1





	The Lost and the Found

“I say we leave.”

“Not until we fully explore this place.”

“Why? We’ve been in here for how long and we’ve found absolutely nothin’.”

The dwarf and elf made their way down a dark, empty hallway. The only presence joining them were the light from the dwarf’s torch and the elf’s bright, floating orb. Along with the occasional rat or spider.

“We haven’t found anything yet, but there may be something up ahead.” said Carthin, the elf. “We’re getting paid to make sure it’s safe. I have no interest in dealing with whatever consequences may come if we leave now and end up wrong.”

“Fine, fine.” Said Brynjolf, the dwarf, rolling his eyes. “Let’s just do it fast.”

“No arguments from me.”

The two continued on, but found little more than rooms empty of everything but dust and cobwebs. The most excitement they had was Brynjolf happily chopping through any locked doors with his axe, but they came too far and too few.

The entire time, Carthin was marking down their path on a piece of paper. Quickly mapping every room and turn out as they progress.

Before long, the two finally reached what seemed like the end of the endless corridors. Faced with another door, only this one was larger and capped off the end of the corridor, rather than leading to another side room.

“Fantastic!” cried brynjolf, “Let’s hope this is the last room we hafta search.”

Carthin tried opening it, but found it locked, much like the rest.

“Alright, Bryn, chop it down.”

“On it!”

The dwarf handed her his torch, backed away, and then began charging straight for the door. He leapt and kicked, flying straight into it, knocking it clean into the room. He landed flat on his back and loudly cheered as he hopped to his feet.

Carthin readied her staff and sent her orb of light into the room. Brynjolf charged in, leaping onto the busted door, but was only met with a room filled with coffins.

“Huh…” he said, resting his axe on his shoulder. “I guess there was something after all. A Mountain of corpses!” finishing off with a hearty laugh.

He turned back to Carthin, who too stepped in onto the broken door.

“So it seems.” She said, handing him the torch.

The room wasn’t huge, but bigger than a small room, though the density of coffins managed to make it feel as small as a small room. They were stacked on top of each other, laying all over the floor, leaning against the walls. They were in almost every imaginable position, including beneath the busted door the two stood on, as they found out once it broke and sent them stumbling.

Brynjolf bent over and picked up a dusty old bone, which he then tossed to the side. “Lemme guess, we should check inside each one of these coffins before we leave, shouldn’t we?” He said as he turned to his companion.

“No, I don’t think so.” Carthin replied, rolling her eyes. “As long as we tell them about this coffin room, I’m sure they can handle it.” She tried walking around the room to get a better look at things. The massive number of coffins strewn about the floor, of course, made this difficult. Brynjolf quickly followed after her, climbing over every coffin in his way.

“Umm… Hello…?” came a muffled voice from somewhere in the room.

The two froze. Carthin calmly asked “Who’s there?”

“It’s probably a zombie!” Brynjolf barked, followed by unexpected pain as Carthin socked him with her staff.

“I’m not a zombie! At least, I don’t think I am.” Came the voice one more time. The two looked around the room. “Could you please get me out of here?”

“Well, keep talking so we can find you first.” Carthin replied.

The voice began singing an old song, which the two followed, stumbling over coffin after coffin every step of the way. After a short while, they managed to follow the voice to one of the coffins leaning against the back wall. It was battered, wooden, and covered in dust. Exactly the same as every other coffin surrounding it. The lid was nailed closed, but seemed unlikely to put up much of a fight.

“Should we let ‘er out?” Bryn asked.

“Do you feel like carrying this coffin back out of here?”

“Aye, point taken.” He wedged his axe underneath the lid and pried it open. The lid came off easily but sent a cloud of dust flying everywhere. A few seconds later, a small young woman climbed out of it. The catlike ears and tail identified her as a rumia, and she was dressed in relatively ordinary clothing.

She, in turn, was greeted with a dwarf and an elf. The former was muscular, balding, and had a long, black beard. The latter was tall, heavy, and had fiery red hair.

“Thank you.” the young woman said. “I’m Lisda.”

“Brynjolf Dragonaxe, at your service!” he slammed his fist into his chest as he introduced himself.

“Carthin.” She lightly bowed.

“Thanks again,” Lisda said, “But… where are we exactly? And.. Why was I in a coffin…?”

“Some old catacombs.“ Brynjolf explained. “We’re supposed to clear this place out, but the only thing we’ve found was you, lass.”

“Do you not remember anything?” Carthin asked.

“I don’t, no.” Lisda replied. “I last remember going to bed… and then I woke up in that a little while ago.”

“Any idea how long?”

“Maybe a few hours?”

Carthin thought to herself for a moment while Brynjolf walked over to another coffin and pried off its lid. “Nothin’ but bones in this one.” He said as he pulled out an old skull.

They tried a few more, but found only more skeletons. Brynjolf rounded up a few more skulls and began juggling them. An amused Lisda clapped for him.

“Hmm…” Carthin thought aloud, “They only dug into this place yesterday… Not much time to sneak a young woman in here…”

“Oi, how about we save the deep thinkin’ for back at the tavern?” Brynjolf said, as he dropped the skulls onto the ground.

“Very well.” Carthin responded as she recalled her orb of light back to her side. “Let us be off.”

She and Lisda began walking towards the doorway before Bryn called out to them. “Hold on, look, up there!” He pointed to a hole in the ceiling. “What do ya think that’s for?”

The two stopped and looked. It was a large, round hole big enough to fit through, and seemed to lead far above the room. Though there was nothing to climb up through it with. Plus, now that Carthin’s orb wasn’t illuminating the entire room, it seemed as though a bit of light was streaming down from it.

“Shall we have a look?” Carthin said, casting a spell onto herself, before levitating up through the hole, blocking most of the light as she ascended.

A few moments passed while Lisda and Brynjolf stared up the hole. “Do you see anything?” Lisda called up as they waited.

“Yes, one moment.” Carthin’s voice echoed down. Followed a few seconds later by a rope and her orb of light. “Come on up!”

Lisda grabbed onto the rope and quickly flew up it, followed by Brynjolf at a slower pace. As they climbed, the stone walls turned to dirt, and eventually wood. The rope took them to hole in the wall, leading them out into a forest. They climbed out of a hole in a large, black oak tree, next to which Carthin was waiting.

“Saved us a trip back, it seems.” Carthin said, looking at her map.

“Aye, you can say that again.” Said Brynjolf as he wiped the dust and dirt off himself. “Y’know, lass, I can respect someone who doesn’t let being trapped in a coffin slow them down.”

Lisda turned to him “I used to help spend time helping out in the catacombs in my own town. I’ve seen more than enough to not be bothered.”

“Aye, but even by being locked in one yourself? Sounds horrifying to me.”

She shrugged “If I’m being honest, I figured this was some kind of joke someone was playing on me while I was in there.”

“Seems a bit far for a joke,” Carthin said, “But I assume we can rule that out considering this doesn’t seem to be those same catacombs.”

“They sure aren’t.” Lisda replied, looking around. “Among other reasons, ours weren’t out in the middle of nowhere.”

“Well, at least this tree answers how they got you in there.” Carthin said, as she began turning in 90 degree increments while staring at the map. Eventually settling on one spot, she looked up and pointed forward, then said “That way is to where we entered. We’re most likely on the hill it was built into. We’ll head that way, then make our way back to town.”

The other two agreed as they set off.


End file.
